real value

Verse 2.5: It would be better to live in this world by begging than to live at the cost of the lives of great souls who are my teachers. Even though desiring worldly gain, they are superiors. If they are killed, everything we enjoy will be tainted with blood.

Arjuna's words really hit me hard today, "Better to live in this world by begging..." This is not just anyone, but a person of kingly descent who is stating this.! It reveals to us what real detachment looks like and what true duty. Arjuna is on the battlefield only out of a sense of duty - to regain the kingdom that is rightly his (and his brothers) so that they can properly take care of the inhabitants. Arjuna has no attachment to wealth, as we can see by his words here.

So the question can be posed then, why are we running after wealth when Arjuna, who is actually royalty, is more than willing to give it up for the sake of morality? Why are so many people here in the material world more than willing to give up morality to make a few bucks?

The reason is we are empty and we don't realize it. We are beggars who think that a large bank account can fill the void that is growing larger in hearts. Name, fame, profit, adoration - everything that the material world promises can be likened to Monopoly money. It's fake and you can't actually do anything with it in terms of actual reality.

Gone are the days when children and adults alike are encouraged to question, "Why are we here? Who are we? What are we meant to do?" Instead those questions have been replaced with, "How much do you make?" and "How much influence do you actually have (i.e. what is your Klout score on Twitter?)".

I can't claim to not want name, fame, adoration, prestige and wealth. Wish I could, be that wouldn't be honest. However, the little I can claim to know is that it won't make me happy. I know this because I've experienced happiness. It's been when I've been singing my heart out in a kirtan. It's when I've been fortunate to get a few precious moments hearing directly from my spiritual mentor. It's when I've felt Krsna's direct reciprocation and grace in my life.

None of those moments involved any great wealth, but they left an indelible impression in my heart. The realization that despite still being attracted to the externals of the material world that it's only my relationship with Krsna and those who are dear to him that really fulfill me.

Arjuna can easily turn his back on wealth because he has the greatest wealth sitting beside him on his chariot and he knows it! He has has Krsna. In relation to this, there is a beautiful story of how much Arjuna values his relationship with Krsna that I would like to share.

Before the battle began, both Arjuna and Duryodhana came to see Krsna. Duryodhana arrived first and immediately sat at the head of the bed where Krsna was resting. Arjuna came sometime later and immediately went to Krsna's feet where he folded his palms and offered prayers. When Krsna awoke, he saw Arjuna first and a moment after twisted his body around to see Duryodhana. Duryodhana immediately spoke up and said, "Krsna, I came first and so according to etiquette, you must give me preference." To this Krsna replied saying, "What you say is true, but when I woke up the first person I saw was Arjuna. Besides, he is also younger and so we must give him preference." Duryodhana agreed and so Krsna continued saying that, "I know you have both come to me to help you out in the battle. However, I must tell you that I have taken a vow not to fight. So you may choose. You my have the large powerful army which I have at my disposal, or you can have weaponless me." Arjuna immediately chose Krsna and Duryodhana walked away happy with Krsna's army, not realizing that without Krsna on his side victory, morality, opulence and power could never be within his grasp.

This pastime illustrates Arjuna's love and faith in Krsna. He didn't care if he wins or loses as long as he had Krsna on his side. This is what true happiness is about - the realization that our relationship with Krsna is the most important thing. All the happiness, satisfaction and knowledge that come along with it are merely side benefits.

the good and the bad

Verse 1.7: But for your information, O best of the brāhmaṇas, let me tell you about the captains who are especially qualified to lead my military force.

I find Duryodhana, the speaker of this verse, to be such a fascinating character. The eldest of one hundred brothers called the Kauravas, he is the reason why the battle took place

Why am I fascinated? Because he represents a part of each of us. In me, he is representative of my ego, the part that doesn't want to take good council and always feels it is right and can never be wrong.

That being said, like all of us, Duryodhana also has some good qualities. How can someone who is the cause of so much negativity, evil and pain have good qualities? Shocked? Well, so was I the day I realized that not everything is black and white in life.

I'll just name one example, but a powerful one which demonstrates Duryodhana has some good in him. It touches on one of my other favourite characters of the Mahabharata. He is the perfect example of a fallen hero and his name was Karna. Karna (whose other name was Radheya) was actually the eldest brother of the Pandavas.

Kunti, the mother of the Pandavas, was just a girl at the time. In serving a great sage she received a benediction that she could invoke any demigod she wanted by reciting a sacred mantra. Young and naive, she one day invoked the sun god, Surya. Imagine her surprise when he appeared! Confirming that the mantra indeed worked, she assumed that he would leave. What she didn't realize was the true purpose of the mantra which was to be blessed by a son from that demigod. Unmarried and not knowing what to do, Kunti with great remorse put the baby, Karna, in a basket and set it afloat on a river.

Years later at a tournament the Pandavas and Kauravas were showcasing their military skills. At that tournament this boy, now named Radheya, came and displayed his skills. He had been adopted by a charioteer and his wife whose name was Radha. Just as the nature of fire is to burn, similarly Radheya's nature of a warrior was displayed. He was incredible, even better than Arjuna, and at one point in time Radheya challenged Arjuna. At that time Kunti was in the crowd watching and she fainted at the thought of her sons fighting one another.

Before Arjuna could take up the challenge, Radheya was asked to provide information from where he came from and his parentage. When it was revealed that he was the son of a worker and not warrior, he was asked to leave. It was not appropriate for two persons to fight who were not of the same background. At that time Duryodhana, recognizing greatness, immediately crowned Radheya the king of a small land called Anga. That one incident inspired such loyalty in Karna that despite knowing that Duryodhana acted unscrupulously on many occasions, never left his side.

In this verse we see the leadership ability of Duryodhana. He is expertly boosting the morale of his army by exalting the virtues of the great warriors on his side.

Why do I bring this up? Because it serves as a lesson for all of us to realize that in everything there is some good. It is not an excuse to turn a blind eye to all the negative aspects that may be present in a person or situation but by being able to see beyond that, we can get a better perspective on how we can act from a personal level. Instead of reacting, we can act with intelligence.

The fact that Duryodhana was about to cause so much catastrophe didn't stop the Pandavas from recognizing that he was a great warrior. Just the same way, we should not be oblivious to the good that may be there in an overwhelmingly amount of bad. By recognizing both, only then can we properly practice bhakti.